Mr Ejike Metusela is the Chairman, Board of Trustees of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria. In this interview with Joshua Yousouph, he speaks about freight forwarding and sundry issues.
For the purpose of this interview, can we meet you Sir?
My name is Metu Augustine Ejike. I am the Chairman Board of Trustees of the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN), as of today.
Can you give us a summary of the recently held National Executive Council meeting of the association?
The Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) is a very democratic organization and maritime organization. We had a meeting in February and we took far-reaching decisions. Due to those far reaching decisions, that is why we called the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting today for those decisions we took in February to be ratified. And I am happy to report that all the decisions were all ratified. This is because we believe in going through the process of the law.
Can you tell us some of these issues and decisions?
The issues and decisions taken by the association are many and for me as the BOT Chairman, my duty is advisory. So I rather leave that to the President or the Secretary of the association who have taken down the minutes. I didn’t take down the minutes. I know the limits of my authority. Like I said earlier, my functions are just advisory. The managers of the association such as the President, Secretary or the executives will be able to give much detail on that.
Can you access the maritime industry under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari?
The maritime industry under Buhari’s administration is like asking me to give an overview, because as a stakeholder in the industry, are you expecting me to say it was wonderful or not wonderful? You can help me to analyze it. The maritime industry cannot be excluded from the entirety of the economy and the governance of Buhari for eight years. On a scale of one to ten, how do you rate the administration? We talk about the maritime industry where Customs duties and charges are increased arbitrarily. This is an industry where you are not sure of what you are going to see the next Monday when you go to work. It is also a place where you are not sure what customs duties you will pay and an industry where there is no continuity in any policy. Then you are asking me to access President Buhari’s administration. Looking at all these factors, we can use our tongue to count our teeth. On a scale of one to ten, we have been gnashing our teeth in the maritime industry. So when we gnash our teeth, what do you think will come out from our mouths?
Now that a new government has come on board, can you set an agenda or what are your expectations from the new government?
There is a saying in my place that if the foresight does not crawl, the second one will not run. Is it not the same government? It is the same government. I don’t know what magic you would expect me to say they would come to do. In the first place, let’s have the government in place. After we have had the government, you can come back to me and ask after three months. This is because looking at the past administration’s performance and everything around us, we cannot even project anything. In the past government, there was no projection, planning, or saving. In a situation where you cannot project or plan, how do you work or predict the trends? You are asking me this question as it affects the maritime industry. You should have been as it affects the totality of the economy. On security, human life is not important. In fact in Nigeria, the life of a cow is more important. We are in a country where foreigners will come in and displace the original owners of the land and the owners of the land are in IDP camps in their own country and states. Foreigners have now acquired and taken over their land and opportunities and the government is not doing anything. If we are to assess the past government, we cannot isolate all these things. These have greatly affected the maritime industry, there is no agriculture. There is lots of destruction going on in the economy. There is insecurity in the country and wherever there is insecurity, nothing works.
Freight forwarders have raised concerns as regards the banning of First Bank by the House of Reps Committee on Customs from collecting revenue, which had led to cargoes being trapped at the ports. What is your reaction to this?
This issue is actually a very deep one. How come in Nigeria, we have a person who takes positions of authority but when the responsibility is attached to that position, everybody washes his “Pilate” hands. Is First Bank not a registered company in Nigeria? Are there no authorities in Nigeria that are monitoring or supervising First Bank? First Bank did not fall from heaven. It is a registered entity and there is an arm of government that is supervising and regulating the activities of banks. They should be asked questions. This is because in the first place, Nigeria is the only country I see people take positions of authority but when the responsibility attached to that responsibility comes, the person will wash his hands off and nobody is held responsible for anything. If you have an institution you regulate, and they contravene in their duties, what do you do to them? The regulating body is the one you should punish. They should be brought to book. So why is it that in Nigeria, no one is held responsible? That is why when something happens in the Ministry, the Minister washes his hands off. The Permanent Secretary also washes his hands off. So what are they Ministers for? It is only in Nigeria that someone will say a monkey or snake has swallowed money and nothing happens. It is only in Nigeria that you can hear things you are supposed to hear in fairy stories happen physically and nobody is held responsible. But we have people who are paid every month for that same authority. But when the responsibility attached to that office arises and the office holder is called to answer for it, he will say it doesn’t fall under his or her purview. It is not funny, but it is happening. When I think about the possibilities of tomorrow for the young generation, I weep.
A new Customs and Excise Management Act was assented by the former President and it has generated lots of concerns from industry stakeholders. What are your own concerns about the new CEMA?
My concern about the new CEMA is that whatever law that has been passed will suffer the fate of other laws. This is because we are good at making laws in Nigeria without proper implementation. It is not about making laws. Many laws have been made in this country and we still face the same issues. The new Customs and Excise Management Act assented by the former President is a welcome development. Most importantly, it will be appreciated if the grey areas are adequately addressed and the laws are fully implemented. It is also necessary that when laws are made, much attention should be paid to the interest of the citizens and the development of their business and the economy at large. These laws should have a human face and not the government being dictators or task masters of the people. We hope the government will be sincere in the implementation of the new CEMA and not use it for personal gains.
-How can you describe AREFFN among other sister associations
As I said earlier, the Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria (AREFFN) is a very democratic organization. We are given to more of adequate mentoring and training in the freight forwarding profession. This makes our members stand out and exceptional among other professionals from sister freight forwarding associations. AREFFN is a well democratized and organized association where issues are adequately addressed without any form of rancor or disunity.
What is your general advice to the freight forwarders?
Young maritime practitioners should remain focused and hard-working, shunning every form of circumvention or unnecessary infractions that could jeopardize their efforts in the course of doing their business. I also urge them to be patriotic and law abiding. The Association of Registered Freight Forwarders of Nigeria, AREFFN, under the able leadership of Alhaji Bala Lawan Daura, is ready to work closely with other sister associations to address certain challenges being faced by clearing agents on a daily basis.
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